


Dance With Me

by wallhaditcoming



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Regency, Courtship, M/M, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-18
Updated: 2012-09-18
Packaged: 2017-11-14 12:07:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/515078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wallhaditcoming/pseuds/wallhaditcoming
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After his most recent tour, Erik Lehnsherr has finally earned the rank of Captain and a commission on a vessel all his own.  With the prize money he has collected and this new rank, he finally feels secure enough in his future to propose to the man he has loved for years.  He just prays that Charles is willing to have him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dance With Me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mistyzeo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mistyzeo/gifts).



> Written for mistyzeo for the airmail first class notebook exchange.
> 
> Takes place in a universe where both homosexual and heterosexual relationships are socially acceptable, because I wanted the focus of the fic to be on the complicated and subtle courtship practices of the Regency Era, as well as the complex class dynamics and how they could be circumvented.
> 
> Unbeta'd, so please forgive any mistakes.

The Assembly Rooms are crowded, as they always are, but the press of bodies irritates Erik more than usual.  It is a trivial obstacle, compared to the others that he has faced in the pursuit of his goal, but after overcoming seemingly impossible barriers, he is unwilling to tolerate even the smallest impediment between himself and what he has striven towards.

Tonight is the night, he prays, that all his hard work is rewarded.  Tonight he makes the first overtures towards the future he has fought for for ten years.

But he must _find_ the man first, which seems damned near impossible in this accursed crowd.

“Lehnsherr!” a familiar voice crows with delight, and Erik turns and his breath is snatched from his lips.

Charles looks as he always does – beautiful.  He is impeccably dressed as always.  His waistcoat, an adventurous blue, suits him perfectly.  It isn’t the same shade as his eyes, no dye could ever achieve that clear, perfect cerulean, but it does serve to draw even more attention to them.

Those eyes are made even brighter with the same joy that has distracting red lips parted in a smile that makes Erik’s chest hurt to see.  This is what he has been waiting for, this is what he has been keeping him working through brutal storms and bloody battles.  This smile, this man… _this_ is what he wants more than anything else.

Erik is beside him in a matter of moments, unaware of having moved, and Charles has gripped his hand between both his own in a warm and familiar handshake.  It was only Charles hands, and their skin was kept separated by two layers of fabric, but it was still enough to send warmth flowing through Erik.

“My dear friend!  I had no idea you were on English soil again, let alone in Bath!  When did you arrive? How long are you staying?  Oh, it’s so good to see you.”

Erik steels himself and takes a deep breath.  Courting between men is no less complicated than it is between a man and a woman or two of the fairer sex.  In fact, given the absence of women, many of the subtler cues were impossible.  When he was unable to extend an offer of marriage to Charles, the avenues were even more limited.  Still, he’d done his best to make his intentions clear, given the limited options available.

Now though…

“Will you dance the next set with me, Xavier?”

Charles’ eyebrows ascend toward his hairline.  “My friend, unless you have changed a great deal since we last saw each other, or my memory has failed you entirely, you are not generally one for dancing.”

“I dance,” Erik replies with a small smile, “you’ve seen it.  You’ve experienced it, in fact.”

“You do,” Charles concedes with an easy grin, “But you are never the one inviting your partner to the dance floor.”

“True.  But I wish to speak with you, and I fear this is as close to private as we will have the chance to be tonight.  So, I’ll ask you again.  Mr. Xavier, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?”

Charles’ face, bright and brilliant with happiness only moments before, seems to dim somewhat.  But he grips Erik’s hand and leads him out to the dance floor, so he considers this first skirmish in the coming battle a victory.

“Tell me, Lieutenant Lehnsherr, how fairs his majesty’s navy?” Charles asks after they have exchanged bows.

“I am a Lieutenant no longer, Mr. Xavier.  You see before you the Captain of the _Fraternité_.”

“You’ve been made Captain? Lehnsherr, that’s marvelous!  Tell me all about it.”

Erik does as Charles commands (Erik will always do as Charles commands), but he can tell that something is troubling the man he has been desperately in love with since within a week of their meeting.  He also knows Charles well enough to know that the best thing to do is to give him time.

So Erik talks on, through the first dance and into the second.  He invites Charles to dance again, and it is halfway through this second set when Charles finally breaks.

“Captain, I…” Charles’ face is anguished.  “Lehnsherr…I know…I know that you had certain plans in mind when you made this trip, but…I am so sorry my friend.”

Erik imagines this must be what wearing a corset feels like.  He can’t breathe, and his chest feels as if it is being crushed under the weight of his disappointment.  Of course.  Charles has found someone else or has never been interested in the first place.  And who can blame him?  A gentleman of his standing, with his connections could do so much better than a lowborn man who has fought his way to something resembling respectability.

The second set ends, and Charles pulls Erik into what passes for a private nook in the crowded rooms.  It makes sense. Charles is a decent enough man not to humiliate Erik in public, yet honorable enough to feel the need to dispel any pointless hope at once.

Charles opens his mouth and Erik steels himself for the inevitable blow.

“Raven is engaged,” Charles forces out in one swift rush.

Erik blinks, feeling genuinely wrong-footed.  “Good for her,” he manages, “but what does your sister have to do with anything?”

“My friend, there is no need to play coy,” Charles tells him, and he looks absolutely wrecked.  “All the times we have been together this past decade, you made your intentions as clear as you could, given your circumstances.  I had assumed you were only waiting until you felt more secure in your station before making your attachment a formal one, and I told Raven as much, I told her to wait but…” Charles clenches his jaw at the memory, “Anyone would be a fool to throw away a chance at a lifetime with you.”

Erik is so dizzy with relief that any semblance of tact has disappeared.  There is still hope.  Judging by that last remark, there is most certainly hope.

“You thought I was courting Raven?” Erik asks, just to be certain.

It is now Charles’ turn to look completely confused.  “Yes.  All those walks and calls to our house and…”

Erik shakes his head and lets out a relieved huff of laughter.  How typically Charles.  To see all the details, yet miss the bigger picture entirely.

Erik holds out his hand.  “Dance with me, Xavier.”

Charles shoots him a scandalized look.  “We’ve already danced two sets, my friend.”

Erik is well aware of this fact.  To dance with anyone more than twice at a public ball is a declaration of intent, a step away from flirtation and towards a more serious overture.  It is good to know that Charles is aware of the ramifications as well.

“Charles,” Erik says softly, watching the man’s eyes widen at the use of his Christian name, staring at Erik in shock, but with undercurrents of delight at the familiarity.  “Would you do me the honor of joining me in this next dance?”

Blue eyes widen, staring at Erik with a mixture of surprise and hope.  Erik meets his stare, and watches as a smile breaks over his face and his eyes are filled with such happiness that Erik cannot help but smile as well.

“Captain Lehnsherr…Erik,” he says, blushing prettily as he places his hand in Erik’s own, “I would be delighted.”


End file.
